I'm Back
by Chuckmuggins
Summary: Post finale (season 1). Ryan has left the Cohens wondering where he's gone. They don't know where he is and Sandy is searching. "Today, today i'll find him." Will Sandy find Ryan or is he lost for good? Please read and review please! Thanks! I own nothing
1. Lost and Found?

_A/N: Let me check...nope i still don't own anything from the OC, much as i'd like to but oh, well! It all belongs to Fox, Josh Schwartz and all the other wonderful people who have given us The OC! Thank You!! Please review. Suggestions are welcome. There is a follow up chapter but suggestions for further chapters after that are extremley welcome!! Thanks._

**I'm Back.**  
  
Sandy was driving toward Chino thinking about Ryan. He had driven this road a lot in the past two months and he had become used to the drive and the scenery. He thought back to when Ryan had still been at home, before Theresa had turned up, pregnant. He remembered what it had been like having his two sons at home. He sighed as he thought about how hard it had been when Ryan left. Seth had left too, making things harder on him and Kirstin but he had come back a week later. He too missed Ryan; he had lost his brother. Sandy knew that Ryan had been in his family less than a year but in that time he had become like a son to Sandy and Kirstin and a brother to Seth. Sandy had gotten used to seeing him in the poolhouse, or finding him playing video games with Seth. He had gotten used to setting four places for dinner. That habit had caused Kirstin a lot of tears since Ryan left. Sandy's heart sank further as he thought of Ryan and how he was gone, but he would find him.  
  
It had been two months since Ryan had last spoken to the Cohen's. They had called him everyday for the first month and he had called them. He missed everyone but he felt he had to be in Chino with Theresa, to do the right thing by her. The last time they had spoken Ryan had been rushing out the door for a doctor's appointment with Theresa. He hung up with the promise to call them when he got back. He never called back. They waited a few days thinking he was just busy but when he didn't call after four days they called Theresa's house, where he had been staying. He was gone. They found out that Theresa had lost the baby. They had always assumed that if the baby wasn't his he would come home but he didn't. They started to worry and Sandy went down to Chino looking for Ryan, thinking he just took off after hearing about the baby, shocked, and he would come home if Sandy found him. Sandy hadn't found him. He had searched nearly every day and there was still no sign of Ryan. He got up every morning repeating to himself, "Today, today I'll find him." It hadn't come true, until today.  
  
Sandy drove around the all too familiar streets of Chino. He had covered the entire town several times in the past few weeks. He pulled the car into a car park and turned it off. He sat in silence for a few minutes while he racked his brains rying to think of where Ryan might be.  
  
"He might not even be in Chino anymore," he thought to himself. "I've looked everywhere, I don't know where else he could be." He pulled open his briefcase to get his phone to call Kirstin and Seth when a crumpled piece of paper fell out of one of the pockets. He looked into the pocket of his briefcase and after seeing it was empty he reached down to the floor to pick up the piece of paper that had fallen out. It was a note from a private investigator from the time Sandy had hired him to find Dawn. He was about to crumple the paper when he stopped. He realised he hadn't checked Ryan's old house.  
  
"Why didn't I go there?" he thought to himself. It was an obvious place to look but Sandy had driven past it many times without even giving it a second thought. He drove through the streets and pulled up outside the worn house. It was stuck between two well-cared for, clean houses so it looked even shabbier. Sandy sat in the car for a moment before getting out. He stared up at the house and just as he started to walk toward the door he heard a loud, angry voice from behind him saying, "What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
He turned around to find Theresa coming toward him, an angry look on her face.  
  
"Ryan..." Sandy said weakly, gesturing toward the house.  
  
"I think you've done enough to Ryan!" said Theresa, glancing toward the house.  
  
"Well, at least I know he's here," thought Sandy. Then he realised what Theresa had said. "What did we do to Ryan?" he asked, confused.  
  
"All those things you guys said about him, I thought you actually cared about him!"  
  
"What?.....WE DO!!" shouted Sandy.  
  
"It didn't sound that way," said Theresa.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"I thought you really cared about Ryan, but now I know he was just a project to you."  
  
"Ryan was never just a project to me. He was – is – my son." Said Sandy, quietly, a sob catching in his throat.  
  
"Sure," said Theresa, "Whatever you say!" obviously not believing him.  
  
"Theresa, who said that?" She gestured toward the house, "Dawn. She said you guys rang and told him never to come back." A look of realisation came over Theresa's face, quickly replaced with a look of rage, "Dawn," she snarled.  
  
Just then the front door of Ryan's house opened and a man appeared, obviously drunk and dragging Ryan by the scruff of the neck.  
  
"Get out!!!" shouted the man.  
  
"Yeah!" chimed a second voice, this time a woman's. "Go see if the snobs want to finish their project!" she laughed. She was obviously drunk but Ryan was still affected by her words.  
  
"They aren't snobs," said Ryan quietly.  
  
"Don't talk back to your mother!" shouted the man, before punching Ryan and throwing him down the steps. The woman looked down at Ryan, "I told you what Sandy said on the phone. They never wanted you in the first place."  
  
Ryan looked as if he was about to cry but the look soon disappeared. He had learnt long ago never to show weakness. It hadn't been being thrown out that had caused him to nearly cry but what his 'mother' had said about the Cohens. He slowly got up and started to walk away until he felt a hand on his shoulder.  
  
Sandy had been watching the exchange with shock. He couldn't believe that this is where Ryan had been living. He was a kid, he didn't deserve this. He also couldn't believe what Dawn was saying about him. He would never have said that, Ryan knew that. Sandy suddenly realised that Ryan was walking away. He snapped out of his shock about what he had just witnessed and ran after Ryan. He grabbed him by the shoulder.  
  
Ryan immediately swung round, jumping back as he did so. He brought his fist up slightly in front of him. Sandy wasn't surprised at this reaction after what he had just seen. When Ryan saw who it was he froze. Sandy looked at the person in front of him. He had changed. Before he knew what he was doing Sandy had grabbed Ryan and pulled him into a hug. Ryan was still frozen but when Sandy pulled him into a hug he relaxed. Sandy was surprised when Ryan hugged him back.  
  
"I'm sorry," said Ryan, barely audible, but Sandy heard it. He was confused.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For leaving. For not calling."  
  
"It's okay," he paused, "Ryan, you know what you're mom said isn't true, don't you?" Ryan was silent.  
  
"Ryan?" Ryan looked up.  
  
"I know."  
  
"Come on son, how about we go home?

--To be continued --

-----------------------------------------------------

_A/N: Please leave a review, they are much appreciated. Thanks for reading and flames are welcome!_


	2. The Reunion

**Chapter 2 - The Reunion**

Seth and Kirsten were sitting on the patio in the back garden of the Cohen's house. It had become a tradition for them. Kirsten would leave work when Seth got out of school and they would meet on the patio and would wait there together until Sandy returned home. Sometimes they would talk, do work, eat or simply do nothing. Today the two were sitting in silence, both deep in thought, mainly about Ryan – where he was, why hadn't he called, if he was okay and most importantly, if today would be the day that he would be coming home. They were both shaken from their thoughts when they heard a car pull up at the front of the house. They looked at each other, waiting. They heard a door slam. After a few seconds of silence they slumped down in their seats, already praying for tomorrow to be the day Ryan came home.

Then they heard a second door slam. The two were at the front door within seconds and they pulled it open to see Sandy standing there, tie askew, jacket rumpled looking tired but had a small smile on his face nonetheless. Seth and Kirsten looked at him expectantly. Sandy broke out into a huge smile as he quickly stood aside to reveal Ryan. Kirsten pulled Ryan into a bone-crushing hug but Ryan didn't notice, he was too busy hugging her back. Seth waited until his mother let go before hugging Ryan back, not an awkward hug, but a hug shared between brothers. Ryan hadn't realised how much he was missed. Kirsten was crying freely as she hugged Ryan again and even Seth had tears in his eyes. Sandy stood back as he watched the reunion between mother, son and brother. He finally had his family back.

Later that evening Sandy and Kirsten watched from the kitchen window as Seth filled Ryan in on everything that had happened in the past few months.

"He's so quiet. Is he okay?"

"He'll be fine now. He's home," said Sandy finally believing it himself. "Kirtsen, Dawn said some things to him when he was in Chino. About us…and him. She told him that he never belonged here, that we never wanted-"

"WHAT?" Sandy tried to stop her but she was already out the door.

Meanwhile… 

"And then just when I was about to go I saw something shining in the water. I didn't know what it was. It was unbelievable! Mermaids, dozens of them Ryan. Mermaids man! They came up out of the water and saved me!"

Ryan stared at him for several long moments, "Mermaids?"

Seth hesitated in his little Seth Cohenish way "Yes."

Ryan stared at him, knowing he would crack eventually.

"Hey man stop with the staring." Ryan stared.

"Seriously…" Ryan stared.

"Aww, come on!" Ryan stared.

"Fine! I ran outta food after five days, pawned my boat for cash and took a bus home. Why does no one believe the mermaid story? It was soooo good!"

"Yes Seth, how could anyone not believe you were saved by mermaids? " asked Ryan, a half smile on his face. Seth opened his mouth to answer but he was caught off by Kirsten shouting from the kitchen.

"WHAT?" Suddenly Kirsten was on the patio beside the two boys.

"Seth, can I talk to Ryan for a minute?"

Seth looked at Ryan, "Eh… sure." He got up to leave but before he went inside he turned back to Ryan, "Remember man, mermaids!" Ryan laughed as Seth went back inside and Kirsten sat down beside him.

"Ryan, Sandy told me what Dawn said to you about…about us. It's not true. You know that don't you?" Ryan looked down at the ground and nodded. Kirsten pulled his face up and was startled to see he had tears in his eyes. She reached over and hugged him tight. She was surprised when Ryan hugged her tightly back.

"Thanks mom," he whispered. He pulled back quickly, "Sorry."

Kirsten pulled him back to her, "Why be sorry? You're my son."

"Thanks."

"So," said Kirsten, standing up, "How about dinner?" Ryan hesitated.

"Ryan I gave up even trying a long time ago."

"Dinner it is then," said Ryan laughing.

Just then the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," called Seth.

"Still loud, " smiled Ryan.

"First time in months," said Kirsten seriously.

"I'm sorry," replied for what seemed like the millionth time today.

"I know, but you're home now and that's what matters." She looked up and saw something over Ryan's shoulder. "I'll go order dinner. Thai?" Ryan nodded, confused at Kirsten's quick exit.

He stood up to go into the house to find Seth when he saw someone standing in the doorway into the living room. He stared and she stared back, neither moving. Marissa. He had thought about her the entire time he was away but never called. He broke eye contact and looked down at the floor, suddenly ashamed that he had never called or visited her, not once. He heard her moving across the patio and he forced himself to look up. She was now standing right in front of him.

"Marissa-" Ryan started to speak but was cut off when Marissa threw her arms around him.

"You're back," she whispered, "You're really back."

"I'm sorry," said Ryan quietly.

"It doesn't matter, you're back."

Ryan tried to speak again but Marissa's lips cut him off. She pulled away quickly waiting for a reaction. He pressed his lips against hers in a short, sweet kiss before breaking away and pulling her close, hugging her tightly.

"I'm back," he whispered, more for his own sake than Marissa's, "I'm back."


End file.
